Nakahama

A note with a challenge was sent to the Unicorn embassy. Polite and short. It's high time for drone dueling!

Bayushi Senshuken, dressed in a pair of buggy pants and a t shirt, is waiting for the challenged party. This is going to be the ultimate test and possibly Senshu's first defeat. What a thrill!

Suh-Hyun lamented having to leave the scooter and her bike at the embassy, she'd had to take public transportation to cart the drone around. Idly she wondered if it would be worth the time and money to get some sort of trailer or carrier for the little thing.

As this was more of an informal thing, well probably. There didn't seem to be any hard rules or traditions on how these were conducted in regards to etiquette, only safety and how to actually play the game. With all that in mind she wore casual clothes, loose fitting but not baggy. Her sunglasses were on of course and she had a cloth cap with a visor.

"Good afternoon Bayushi-sama." She gave a sort of lazy wave after sitting down the drone. "Sorry if I kept you waiting."

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Editing in the rolls to make sure they are in before day flip. Done in order.
Piloting/AGI for Duel on D2 vs Bayushi Senshuken. +1k0 from Prodigy. (Rolling all three before day end) | 10k4 ⇒ 43

Piloting/AGI for Duel on D2 vs Bayushi Senshuken. +1k0 from Prodigy. (Rolling all three before day end) | 10k4 ⇒ 28

Piloting/AGI for Duel on D2 vs Bayushi Senshuken. +1k0 from Prodigy. (Rolling all three before day end) | 10k4 ⇒ 37

Senshuken had arrived on her bike that is parked nearby. A rental but still a very fast sport motorcycle.

She bows politely and waves. "Good afternoon, Shinjo san! You are not late at all, worry not. How have you been?" She asks while opening her backpack to take her drone out.


D2, drone duel vs THE PILOT, 1st round, agility/piloting | 5k4 ⇒ 17

D2, drone duel vs THE PILOT, 2nd round, vp, agility/piloting | 6k5 ⇒ 62

D2, drone duel vs THE PILOT, 3rd round, vp, agility/piloting | 6k5 ⇒ 37

(1-1)

(I'll add 2 more rolls)

D2, drone duel vs THE PILOT, 4th round, agility/piloting | 5k4 ⇒ 22

D2, drone duel vs THE PILOT, 5th round, agility/piloting | 5k4 ⇒ 23

Suh-Hyun fiddled with the controls on the little drone, familiarizing herself with the little thing before the duel proper. "Pretty good really. When I woke up and saw the weather wasn't another monsoon, I thought today would be a nice one." The drone dips back down and lands, ready to have the banner attached.

"And then I realized station born folks, such as myself, are way too used to constant temperatures." She bent down to start work on the banner, letting out something between a laugh and a sigh. "This heat has been downright oppressive at times."

Finishing up, Suh-Hyun steps back and brings her drone up. "And yourself?" She reaches up and pulls off her sunglasses.

Once the duel started, the Unicorn pulled away from the direct path. Bringing her drone up and up, before diving on her opponent in a sudden burst of speed. Gravity gave the little drone a major boost and it seemed to catch the Scorpion of guard.

The Unicorn was eerily quiet in the battle, her eyes now focused on the little battle above.

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Piloting/AGI D2 against Bayushi Senshuken. Round 2. +1k0 from Prodigy | 10k4 ⇒ 47

Piloting/AGI D2 against Bayushi Senshuken. Round 2. +1k0 from Prodigy | 10k4 ⇒ 42

Playing it out over a few posts but looks like. Win/Loss/Draw/Win/Winn for Suh-Hyun

The Bayushi also attaches the banner to her drone and soon it takes off.

"Born and raised at a station then? How was that? Quite the unique experience."

The Shinjo is good of a pilot as it is expected. Senshuken's drone is in a tough spot right away, but a quick maneuver seems to balance things for now.

"My day wasn't bad. I met a sweet future merchant and helped him sell his baby shocks among others. And then I headed to an onsen outside the city. Quite relaxing. The water was warm and the company was good."

Shinjo Suh-Hyun laughed nervously at the mention of the early activity. "Yes, cute tradition. I tutored a young man as best I could. He seemed a bright child, though maybe a bit to outgoing." And still thinks I am horse. Some parents!

Regaining her composure she is genuinely surprised by the sudden display of piloting that nearly had her. Then surprised again when they matched each other in a complicated maneuver.

"Not really that unique, I was born on New Hope Castle. It's a massive orbital station that houses a large number of the Shinjo. The planet it orbits, Shinjo's Grace, is largely kept untouched apart from resource extraction and a few of my more traditional kin who choose to live a simpler nomadic lifestyle." Recovering from the earlier surprises, she now circles back around and makes another quick pass.

The Unicorn's experience in aerial fights begins to tell, she deftly maneuvers into a position of advantage then executes fast moving attacks. Following through each strike and opening the distance before swinging back around. It's perhaps not the sort of flashy aerial dance one might expect, but their is still an elegance in the brutal efficiency of each high speed pass.

''Kami, you are so good at this!'' Senshu tries to defend, no case of attacking this piloting beast and as it is expected she is in a very tough spot. No one has ever won by just defending and evading. ''And you pilot in the open space, Shinjo san? How is that like?''

It was over soon, experience had ultimately been the deciding factor. The Scorpion had considerable natural talent, but it was still raw. Given time and training, Suh-Hyun expected Senshuken would make a good fighter pilot.

"I do," She confirmed, "I served with 33rd Interceptor Squadron while it was stationed on the carrier Stellar Winds, though I was transferred to the 2nd Testing and Evaluation Squadron after we returned from operations in the colonies."

Another pass was lined up, she expected this would be the last. "Flying in space is exhilarating, you don't have to account for gravity but mass is a problem. Space fighters are covered on thrusters and are capable of movements our aerial counterparts could only dream of."

And there it was, one banner left drifting to the ground. "It's just you in the great void and you can go any direction you wish. There's nothing like a hard shift in velocity. Your whole cockpit lights up with warnings as the inertia dampeners are straining to reduce the movement from enough force to turn you into jelly to just enough force to feel like 10 worlds worth of gravity is pressing on you. Then everything stabilizes and there's just the open stars, that great vastness, calling out to you."

The little drone under Suh-Hyun's control lands in front of her. "You're not an amateur. Most of it was talent, but you've had flight training."

''Hai, hai.'' She replies while landing her own drone. ''Nothing important or official. My father owns a biplane and once or twice I was allowed to co pilot the family heli. Nothing like what you describe, but it is a nice change of pace from the bike racing. Very different. Less restrictive, I'm inclined to say. I absolutely love the open road, playing with the limits created by your surroundings. And the sensation that go with it. Motor bikes are my big love, but I cannot deny the thrill of piloting.''

"You should visit New Hope Castle then," Suh-Hyun smiles and packs up the banner, "Test your skills against my more grounded kin, there's a thriving underground culture of racing on station. And some of the courses they have laid out pass through some tight corridors. Might be an interesting challenge, but competition would be stiff. There's some serious speed freaks back home."

She let's out an awkward I definitely didn't do any of that as a teen, promise laugh, "Or so I am told."

"Huh! Speed freaks." She chuckles. "I proudly consider myself one. I wouldn't mind the narrow spaces, but speed yes. It's all about speed!"

"I heard that there's an annual race over here and it's in a few days. Do you know anything about that?"

Bayushi Senshuken wrote: Tue Nov 11, 2025 12:06 pm "Huh! Speed freaks." She chuckles. "I proudly consider myself one. I wouldn't mind the narrow spaces, but speed yes. It's all about speed!"

"I heard that there's an annual race over here and it's in a few days. Do you know anything about that?"

"Oh there's always some sort of race going on," She answered with a chuckle, "Sadly I haven't been back on station in a while. My current duty post is Open Hand Castle. Same system, different large station."

"Hoping to watch or see if you can compete?"

"Compete of course!" She is quick to reply. "I was told that this year and since we are here, the race will be open to visitors."

"Are you interested in it, perhaps?"

Bayushi Senshuken wrote: Wed Nov 12, 2025 10:03 am "Compete of course!" She is quick to reply. "I was told that this year and since we are here, the race will be open to visitors."

"Are you interested in it, perhaps?"

"Sadly no," She shook her head, "I'm a pilot first and foremost, though no Shinjo is ever a bad driver. And well I am hoping to be back at my duty station by then."

"Though I might be able to watch it at least. On broadcast if nothing else."

"I was told that it is here. In a few days. Won't you be around? I thought that you got assigned at this planet till the governess makes her decision regarding the next Yasuki commercial partners."

Suh-Hyun blinks and then her face reddens. "Oh yes of course a race here. On this planet. On Green Carp. Ha ha. Yeah, yeah I probably will...I was just joking. Yep good old race here, on Green Carp, not on New Hope Castle." Her expression and complexion made it pretty clear that the Shinjo was both a terrible liar and easily flustered given the right conditions.

Senshuken just smirks one of those silly and sexy smirks that the Scorpion are both famous and infamous for.

"You are very cute when you blush." She only says.

The Shinjo recovers quickly, well her expression at any rate. The red coloring wasn't showing signs of receding anytime soon.

"Be that as it may," She smiles, "I'm not as good a driver as I am a pilot, but I'll be pushing for a win regardless. It would be insulting to yourself and the other competitors to do anything less."

"Of course, you should push for victory. I wouldn't expect anything different." She replies. "Victory leaves such a sweet taste in your mouth that only one time is enough to get you addicted." She shrugs. "At least that's how it went with me."

"Victory is sweet, but personally I prefer the challenge of competing against skilled opponents." Suh-Hyun responded, "Testing myself against a strong opponent let's me improve even if I lose. So what are the tracks like on your homeworld? Or is it all street racing?"